Unilever
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dickson mutai
29 w
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Unilever's Bold Steps Toward Climate Advocacy
How and why are we stepping up our climate advocacy? | Unilever
Thomas Lingard, Unilever’s Global Head of Sustainability – Environment, explains how and why we’re stepping up our climate advocacy work.
https://www.unilever.com/news/news-search/2024/how-and-why-are-we-stepping-up-our-climate-advocacy/
Unilever has taken significant strides in its climate advocacy efforts, aiming to achieve ambitious climate goals by addressing barriers to faster emissions reduction. Their Growth Action Plan emphasizes the need for global value chain transformations, technological innovations, and public policies that make sustainable solutions possible and affordable. The updated Climate Transition Action Plan (CTAP) reflects a more systemic approach, focusing on deeper collaboration and assertive policy advocacy to create the most significant impact.
Advocacy is a critical component of Unilever's strategy because rewriting the rules of the global economy is essential for the transition to net zero. Businesses must be vocal about the changes they want and the obstacles they face. By applying pressure, Unilever believes that governments can enact laws to create a level playing field and provide incentives for further action. Strong climate policies will create the right environment for businesses to act quickly and on a large scale.
The CTAP includes broad requests for economy-wide transformation and specific asks tailored to the systems Unilever is part of. Renewable power is a key component of this transformation. As part of the RE100 initiative, Unilever is helping to signal demand for clean energy solutions globally. This has strategically shifted policy in key Asian markets. In 2023, Unilever signed an open letter calling on policymakers to triple global renewables capacity by 2030, a goal agreed upon by heads of state at COP28. Such policy changes will help Unilever transition to 100% renewable energy by 2030 and assist their suppliers in decarbonizing their operations.
Regenerative agriculture is another critical area for Unilever. This sustainable farming approach ensures food security and supply chain resilience while reducing emissions. Unilever aims to implement regenerative practices on 1 million hectares of agricultural land by 2030. Achieving this goal requires supportive policies, so Unilever is lobbying for a regulatory landscape that aids farmers in transitioning to and maintaining regenerative practices, including incentive schemes and financial support. Unilever is actively working on this in the US, EU, and India and plans to expand to other regions.
Chemicals are integral to Unilever's Home Care products, and lowering emissions linked to these chemicals is a key part of their CTAP. Following research that identified the necessary actions to address the carbon emissions of everyday cleaning products, Unilever is now calling for industry transformation. They need chemical ingredients not made from fossil-fuel-based feedstocks to be available at scale and competitively priced. To achieve this, integrated national policies are required. Unilever has raised awareness of these challenges among external stakeholders and hosted a panel event in Brussels to discuss the needed policy interventions.
For their advocacy to be effective, Unilever collaborates with other powerful actors, including cross-industry coalitions seeking to pioneer net zero pathways. They work with the WBCSD, the Exponential Roadmap Initiative, and We Mean Business Coalition’s Fossil to Clean campaign to accelerate the clean energy transition globally. Additionally, Unilever pushes their trade associations to be transparent about their climate positions and statements. This year, they published their first climate policy engagement review, calling on associations to improve where necessary. By working together, businesses like Unilever can significantly influence policies and drive systemic change, making a substantial impact on global climate goals.
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28 w
This is how corporate leadership should operate in the face of climate challenges.
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28 w
Great job Unilever.... advocating for change is commendable and we all need to embrace change.
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29 w
Unilever's unwavering dedication to climate advocacy is both impressive and essential in addressing global environmental challenges.
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29 w
Unilever's plan to bring sustainability in the environment is commendable and serves as an example to other firms with the same capacity to chip in and make the world's environment better.
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Unilever's commitment to ambitious climate goals and emissions reduction shows true leadership in sustainability
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@ruth_murugi I second you
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Good emission plans by unilever.Trusting they will keep their word
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Impressive plan! Excited to see the impacts